Jury Finds Most Defendants Guilty
A jury has reached a verdict in the Feeding Our Future fraud trial, finding most defendants guilty on the majority of charges they faced. Exceptions include S. Farah and Abdu Wahab Afin, who were found not guilty of all charges, including wire fraud, bribery, and money laundering.
Largest Pandemic Fraud in U.S. History
Federal authorities have labeled this case as part of the largest pandemic fraud scheme in the United States. The fraud diverted $250 million in federal funds intended to feed children during the pandemic.
Details of the Fraud
Seven Minnesotans were accused of swindling more than $40 million out of the $250 million total. The funds, meant to provide food for children during the pandemic, were allegedly used by the defendants for luxury cars, jewelry, travel, and properties, with only a fraction going towards feeding low-income children.
Jury Deliberations and Bribery Attempt
The jury’s deliberations lasted four days. The case experienced an interruption when a juror had to be dismissed after it was reported that someone attempted to bribe her with $120,000 in cash to acquit the defendants.
Reporting and Coverage
Jonah Kaplan, a reporter covering the story, was present in the courtroom and will provide a detailed breakdown of the verdicts and their implications in subsequent news segments. More coverage is expected in the evening news at 5 PM and 6 PM on WCCO and CBS News Minnesota.
